


What No One Believes

by redfiona



Category: World Wrestling Entertainment
Genre: Family, Gen, Illness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-01-31
Updated: 2009-01-31
Packaged: 2017-10-07 17:01:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 518
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/67193
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/redfiona/pseuds/redfiona
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There were lots of things that Jesse didn't tell people, because he knew they wouldn't believe him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	What No One Believes

Characters: Jesse and Festus   
Genre: Gen, character fic  
Rating: U-PG, seriously, nothing worse than WWE product.  
Spoilers: Up to Febuary 2008.

~~~~

There were lots of things that Jesse didn't tell people, because he knew they wouldn't believe him.

He and Festus aren't inbred; Festus's family tree has the right number of branches going up to four generations back, while Jesse can say the same up to six generations back, on his mother's side.

He's older than Festus. He thinks no one believes on that because of Festus's hairline, but it's true. He's almost two years older than Festus, which means he's got to look after him, always has done.

Festus wasn't always like this, Jesse can clearly remember a time when Festus was exactly like the rest of them - the two of them are only two out of fifteen cousins - but then he wasn't like the rest of them. It wasn't sudden or anything, no accident or shock, it's like Festus got stuck like a broken down CD player.

Jesse isn't quite as dumb as he lets people believe. Oh, he's not book-learned or even clever smart, but he's not as quite as dumb as a rock. He knows there's something wrong with Festus. He also knew that if they'd stayed at home they'd never have got the money to fix him. He knows that bringing Festus out to public ridicule in the ring probably isn't for the best, but he's got no better ideas for raising money. He's known that Festus knew how to fight for years, the recess bell used to make sure that no one bullied Festus, and the ringing at the end made sure the teachers never believed anyone who told them what had happened. All of the stuff in the ring came naturally to Festus, but Jesse's had to work hard on it. It's the only thing that Festus finds easier to do than he does, and Jesse couldn't explain why if you asked him, but it makes him happy that Festus does have something like that.

So he lets people play him for a chump, lets himself seem gullible, rolls over and is the dumb hick. It worked too. In the three months they'd been there, they'd almost raised enough for Festus to see some swanky doctor, complete with a degree from Harvard Medical and everything. Jesse goes with Festus for the appointment, in his church suit and best shoes. The doctor says a lot of things, not that Jesse could understand any of it, but he sounds positive, and he suggests a treatment programme.

True to form, the treatment doesn't go to plan, there's barely any change in Festus. He smiles more, maybe. But Jesse keeps the smile on his own face, more for Festus than anyone else, and goes back to wrestling with him. It hurts, why can't Festus just be better. He'd rather not go back to wrestling, he dreams of cattle farming every night, but it had to be done, it keeps the wages rolling in, and they'll just have to go to a better doctor next time.

~~~~


End file.
